Spanish Court Orders Removal of IB Monument in Madrid
Friends and Family of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in front of Ciudad Universitaria's International Brigades Monument
The Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid (TSJM) has ordered the removal of the International Brigades monument in la Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). In 1936, the university saw heavy fighting between Franco’s forces and some of the Spanish Republic’s first foreign volunteers, later renowned as the International Brigades. Despite right-wing protest, the monument was unveiled by Rector José Carrillo on 22 October 2011 for the 75th anniversary of the International Brigades. However, right-wing private attorney Miguel García Jiménez filed an appeal to the Administrative Court attempting to block the monument’s creation, claiming that the university had broken planning laws. Last month, the TSJM sided with García Jiménez and ordered the IB Monument’s removal. Rector Carrillo has refused previous court orders to take down the monument, arguing that other monuments around Madrid lacking the proper paperwork have not been removed. La Asociación de Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales (AABI) has asked every “lover of democracy and justice to express their support by writing to our eaddress on the web, facebook or twitter” and by signing their petition here. The monument’s
removal would be another triumph for the winners of 1939. And a terrible offense for anti-fascists who fought and gave their lives in that battle initiated by Picelli, Cieri and the Arditti of Parma in 1922 which ended victoriously in 1945.
The Guardian reports that British
supporters of the brigades have written to the British ambassador in Madrid, Giles Paxman, to ask him to intervene.
“Although the court’s decision was taken on technical grounds, the original complaint was lodged by a lawyer with known far-right connections,” said Jim Jump, secretary of the London-based International Brigade Memorial Trust.
This is not the first time the monument has been attacked. Soon after it was built in 2011, the monument was daubed with graffiti calling the volunteers “murderers.”
To read more, click here or here.
To sign the petition, click here.
I am from vancouver,canada and i just signed the Petition in support of the monument in Madrid.Here in the province of British Columbia,canada there is a monument in support of the canadians who went to Spain. They were with the mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.The monument is in the city of Victoria.The different unions here decided a few years ago to put up a monument in support of these canadians.The reactionary canadian gov.got contempt for the canadians who went to spain.But the working class remembers them.You can find out more about this monument at http://www.macpapbattalion.ca
Friends & Family of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (FFALB) has moved into action to prevent the removal of the monument (see our photo above at the dedication in Madrid). We have sent a protest to the Spanish Ambassador to the U.N. asking for a meeting as soon as possible. We welcome others to join us on that day. Contact us at ffalb2013@gmail.com.
We are also circulating a “Manifesto” protesting the removal, signed by prominent people in Spain and elsewhere. We urge people to try to get signatures of prominent public figures in the U.S. to sign the Manifesto which is available from AABI: seve.montero@gmail.com
Save the Monument!
Dear friends,
I join in the protest against the clear return of Franquismo to Spain.
In the meantime, I would be grateful if you could restore my e-mail listing as follows:
George.Venturini@bigpond.com
I am very grateful for your consideration.
All the best and Salud y Republica !
V.G. Venturini, 20 Patons Road,HAZELWOOD NORTH 3840, Australia;
tel. + 61 3 5166 1502; fax + 61 3 5166 1888.
I am applalled at the Spanish Courts decision to require the removal of The IB Monument. The IB Monument stands for the mena and women who came from around the world to give a new democracy a chance at surviving and living and a better way of life for Spains citizens. You wish to return to the days of Franco? You the Spanish courts have failed the Spanish people, Spains history, and yourselves for lacking the courage to stand up for freedom. Viva the Brigadistas!
Can you imagine a Adolf Hitler Foundation in Germany?
In Spain we have the National Foundation Francisco Franco and that’s is legal!!!
They interviewed the guy that sued the University for erecting the monument.
http://www.fnff.es/Entrevista_al_abogado_Miguel_Garcia_Jimenez_1240_c.htm
It ends as follows:
“I encourage anyone with knowledge of any attempt to demolish a monument linked to the Nationalist side, or install the claim of some monument or glorifying street to the “Red side”, to review “very closely” the procedure administrative being followed in both cases.